A Three-Dimensional Numerical Model with an L-Type Wave-Maker System for Water Wave Simulations by the Moving Boundary Method

A three-dimensional numerical wave tank was developed based on Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations and the volume of fluid method. The moving boundary method is adopted in this model to generate water waves. Piston-type wave-makers are mimicked for the total replication of the physical wave tank conditions. Two-dimensional regular and irregular waves are simulated, with the capability to trigger the active wave absorption algorithm. The two-sided wave-maker system with L-type arrangement is adopted in this model to expand the effective wave areas for three-dimensional waves. Oblique regular waves and multidirectional random waves are simulated, yielding a good agreement with theoretical solutions. The results indicate that this numerical model is an effective tool to provide finer details or complement data unavailable due to the physical setting of a tank experiment.